Associate Director | Urban Design & Masterplanning

MADE Careers; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Flexible hours

Enhanced annual leave

Pension

Job summary

MADE Careers is working with a globally recognised architecture and design practice looking to appoint an Associate Director to join its London Masterplanning team. You’ll take a leading role across large scale masterplanning, regeneration and mixed-use projects, from early ideas and strategy through to more developed design.

The role requires senior leadership, strong presentation skills and the ability to mentor junior designers while maintaining high design quality across the studio.

Qualifications

• A standout portfolio of design-led urban design and masterplanning work, ideally with major international projects.
• Exceptional conceptual design ability, capable of generating and testing ideas at urban scales.
• Strong experience across large-scale masterplanning, mixed-use, regeneration and new communities.
• Excellent sketching, graphic communication and presentation skills for clear client discussions.

Responsibilities

• Lead design of major urban design and masterplanning projects
• Develop strong concepts, narratives and presentation material
• Lead client workshops, presentations and design reviews
• Direct and inspire multidisciplinary project teams
• Build strong relationships with clients and collaborators
• Mentor and develop junior designers
• Contribute to the wider creative direction of the team

Skills

Urban design

Leadership

Mentoring

Client presentations

Concept development

Team management

Presentation skills

Public speaking

Tools

Rhino

Revit

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

MADE Careers is working with a globally recognised architecture and design practice looking to appoint an Associate Director to join its London Masterplanning team.

Working closely with the Head of Masterplanning, this is a senior design role for someone with a really strong urban design portfolio and the ability to lead complex masterplanning and regeneration projects across the UK and internationally.

The quality of the design work is important here. They’re looking for someone who can think at city and neighbourhood scale, develop strong ideas quickly and communicate them beautifully while having the experience to lead teams, workshops and senior client conversations.

The Role

You’ll take a leading role across large scale masterplanning, regeneration and mixed-use projects, from early ideas and strategy through to more developed design.

Alongside leading projects and clients, you’ll work closely with the wider team to challenge ideas, develop younger designers and maintain a high level of design quality across the studio.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design of major urban design and masterplanning projects
• Develop strong concepts, narratives and presentation material
• Lead client workshops, presentations and design reviews
• Direct and inspire multidisciplinary project teams
• Build strong relationships with clients and collaborators
• Mentor and develop junior designers
• Contribute to the wider creative direction of the team

Requirements

• A standout portfolio of design led urban design and masterplanning work, ideally including major international projects
• Exceptional conceptual design ability, with the confidence to generate, test and develop ideas at scale
• Strong experience across large scale masterplanning, mixed-use, regeneration and new communities
• Excellent sketching, graphic communication and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex ideas simply and beautifully
• Senior Associate / Associate Director level experience within a leading urban design, masterplanning or architecture practice
• Experience leading the design direction of major projects, not simply managing their delivery
• Confidence presenting to senior clients, leading workshops and inspiring multidisciplinary design teams
• International masterplanning experience is highly desirable, particularly across the Middle East and/or Asia
• Strong Rhino and Adobe Creative Suite skills
• Revit experience highly advantageous
• Competitive salary + extensive benefits package
• Employee owned practice
• Hybrid and flexible working
• Enhanced annual leave and pension
• Learning and professional development opportunities
• Major UK and international projects across the Middle East and Asia
• Established global masterplanning team with strong progression opportunities

Why This Role

A brilliant opportunity for a senior designer who wants to stay close to the creative work while stepping into a more influential leadership role.

You’ll lead the design direction of major international masterplanning projects, working directly with clients and teams while still being involved in the ideas, sketching and design thinking that shape the work.